The amount of unemployed workers applying for benefits decreased by 3.8 k in February, being the eight consecutive decline in the jobless count rate, yet the decrease being shorter than the 8k expected by the analysts and much shorter than the 13.5K decrease posted in January. The three month measure shows a decrease of 3,000 unemployed in the last three months to January, while the jobless rate remains at 5.5% unchanged from the previous period. Average earnings have grown 4.2% in the three months to January, this is the fastest grow pace since July 2006, following a 4.0% increase recorded in the last three months of the year 2006, according to national statistics, the growth has been due to the effect of worker’s bonuses, handed last month.